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Sergi stared at the screen. Kimi had a machine malfunction at his home race…at his own home race and he knows what Kimi is feeling now, He knows that he’s being pressured by the Italian media and his parents, classmates, friends unknowingly pressuring him to win a home race at Imola especially at his first season in Formula one.
Sergi saw Kimi take his helmet off, storming straight towards his driver's room, slamming the door shut, not wanting to see anyone from the outside world. Sergi took a quick look at Bono before setting his headphones down and slowly making his way towards Kimi's driver room.
Bono took a glance at Sergi — who was making his way towards a certain Italian driver’s room — before knowing what Sergi was gonna do, Bono sat still in his seat waiting for the call to follow Sergi into the room to help the kid out. Even if Bono wanted to follow Sergi, Kimi probably only wants to see one person at a time.
Meanwhile, Kimi was in his driver’s room, frustrated with himself. ‘You embarrassed yourself in front of your family!’ ‘Gee no wonder why Ollie hasn’t been talking with you a lot lately and talking more with Gabi.’ ‘Mercedes is gonna get you off your seat from someone better.’ ‘You fucked it up imagine your other races eh? Toto is gonna be so disappointed.’
His self-esteem was depleting every second he thought about it, maybe he was worthless. Maybe he shouldn’t have gone through with going in Formula one. Maybe he should’ve been a normal kid. Maybe-
Kimi felt something wrap around him. It felt… grounding? Who was it- oh. It was his trainer, the person that was always there through his highs and lows of racing.
“Go away, Sergi… please” Kimi mumbled, not wanting anything to do with him. Maybe he’s here just to pity him. Maybe Sergi knows how shit he is not even finishing at his own home race–
“Don’t even overthink it Kimi. It was a machine malfunction, none of your fault ok?” Sergi told Kimi off, Sergi pulled his phone out though a hand stopped him… and a sob came out from the young Italian. Sergi quietly comforted the 18 year old, Kimi was sobbing in his arms while muttering how he couldn’t live up to the expectations.
“There were no expectations, Kimi. You did what you could do. It was the machine malfunction that made you DNF, okay? None of this was ever your fault” Sergi held Kimi’s head up, wiping his tears away
“But it is! I should’ve known better that the machine was malfunctioning so I could tell the engineers but I didn’t and– and–“ Kimi mumbled while sobbing in Sergi’s arms.
“My quali was so shit too! P13? I- I’m not worth the seat…it should’ve been someone else” Kimi bawled into the trainer’s shirt, though the trainer didn’t mind having his clothes stained with tears. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and texted Bono.
[Sergi]: Hey Bonnie come over to kimi’s driver room
[Bonnie🩵]: He’s crying isn’t he? Poor guy, it was even his first home race :(
[Sergi]: he’s saying he isn’t worth for a seat in Mercedes
[Bonnie🩵]: what??? He is a valued driver in this team!!
[Sergi]: yea he is, so come over and tell him it wasn’t his fault ok?
[Bonnie🩵]: already on the move sergi!
Sergi sighed of relief and heard the knock and seeing Bono his love his friend came in and joined in the hug with Kimi, quietly shushing Kimi and muttering how he did great in races and he’s always proud of him.
“T-Toto might just take my seat away! Valtteri is better than me and way more experienced! I’m just a rookie who can’t even last a home race! My classmates are probably talking about how i couldn’t finish and fuck! Ollie probably thinks I’m not good at the sport, that's why he’s talking to Gabi!” Kimi muttered into Sergi’s arms again, still crying but not as much.
“Kimi you don’t know how loved you are in the team and I can assure you Toto is proud of you and you will and I mean will get a seat next season okay? And Oliver loves you trust me, we both can tell how much he loves you through your interactions with him” Bono reassured Kimi while bear hugging him and including Sergi who was playing with the younger’s curls which was calming for Kimi
“Don’t you see how Oliver has been talking to Gabi more than me…He’s been calling me less and more to Gabi and I’m just here!” Kimi muttered as Bono and Sergi looked at each other knowing how much Kimi adored the British boy
“He doesn’t like me back and I feel like I’m gonna drown a-and-“ Kimi cried while his throat felt like it was closing up. He was having a panic attack, Sergi noticed immediately and leaned Kimi against the wall and tried to calm him down
“Hey hey Kimi try to look at me ok? Hold my hand and breathe together for me” Sergi held his hand and Kimi clutched it tightly as Sergi was exaggerating his breathing so Kimi could hear it and breathe with him. Meanwhile Kimi’s breathing which was uneven was slowly stabilising though Kimi still felt like he was drowning.
“I’m not enough for anyone…” Kimi muttered when his breathing was more stable and he was in Sergi’s embrace again.
“No you’re not Kimi. Me and Sergi are always here for you no matter what, ok?” Bono went closer to them and rubbed Kimi’s back while Kimi kept sobbing
“Are you sure… don’t you think Toto thinks I’m a bad driver I mean-“ Kimi ranted for a second before Sergi cuts him off again
“You’re a rookie Kimi. This is your first ever formula one season, don't even stress it cause Toto will give you a contract for next season I’m sure of it right Bono?” Sergi glanced at Bono for backup and Bono provided with a nod before Sergi continued
“I’m just saying you got a podium in the last race and it’s your first season! Plus this is one of many home races you have the chance to show off alright?” Sergi ruffled with kimi’s hair while the younger one sighed softly, giving up on arguing with the adults
After a while the atmosphere had seemed to quiet down and Kimi’s crying had stopped and also fell asleep in Sergi’s arms again so it leaves Sergi and Bono together.
It was silently except for the air conditioner running on. It was broken by Bono asking Sergi a simple question or maybe a statement? “So…you act like a parental figure to him eh? Kinda heartwarming hm?” Bono looked up at Sergi waiting for his answer
Sergi nodded, he brushed through Kimi's hair as it seemed to soothe Kimi more “ah… I guess I am…I mean I knew him since he was a teen so I guess that’s why” Sergi looked up to see Bono smiling at him. Not that usual smile he has, he has a different one… it was calming in a sense and it wasn’t what the media saw. It was something deep and Sergi felt like he was hit by a cupid's arrow again. When will this seemingly unrequited love end for him?
“Sergi? Sergi? Sergi Avila you there?” Bono looked confused at what he was staring at before Sergi snapped out of it
“Nothing just… worried about Kimi. He’s being pressured by the Italian media and also his friends and family doesn’t know that they are also putting pressures on him by accident” Sergi confessed before sighing again
“And him with his crush on Oliver is just a lot on him. I think Kimi is sad about about Gabi and Oliver talking a lot more than him and- geez why am I telling you about kimi’s love life” Sergi glanced at Bono again
“Cause you trust me and I trust you too Sergi” Bono replied back with a smile, Sergi swears the room instantly lights up when Bono smiles or talks about anything really. He wants to keep it that way, though he knows it won’t last forever
Sergi smiled back though it felt bittersweet, on one hand he felt he was closer to Bono than ever but on the other hand he knew Bono would never be gay. How could he be gay? Unrequited love really hits harder than you think.
“Do you think I should contact Oliver about this? I think he deserves to know” Sergi asked quietly to the engineer
“Yea I think you should, Oliver should know about his best friend having a panic attack while thinking about him-“ Bono stats before getting shushed by Sergi since Bono brought up about the crush
“Don’t tell anyone else about Kimi liking Oliver ok?”
“Yep yep ok I won’t tell a single soul!” Bono imitated his mouth being zipped up and throwing the zipper away before smiling at Sergi again. Sergi felt like he was melting just at the sight of his smile
“I’ll go text to Oliver about this then” Sergi mumbled before pulling his phone out and sending a message. While he was typing he thought he heard a quiet ‘cute’ from Bono but he must’ve been delusional and sent the text.
Sergi and Bono was talking for a while about random stuff before he heard a knock and a concerned tall Brit opening the door to see the sight of Kimi having tear stained cheeks in Sergi’s embrace and Bono being a bit too close to Sergi in the human eye
“I’m so sorry I was late! I was saying congratulations to Lando and- Is Kims ok- what happened? Why did he cry-“Ollie fired questions out of concern about his former teammate and Love of his life best friend crying.
“Don’t worry Oliver he’s ok just stressed and you two should talk it out I’m just saying ad maybe even conf– ow!” Bono told Oliver before getting hit in the stomach by Sergi
“We will leave you to it then” Sergi placed Kimi on the couch before dragging Bono out the room to leave the two lovebirds alone in the drivers room
“Do you think they’ll confess, Sergi?”
Sergi chuckled at the question “What do you think Bonnie”
“…yea stupid question they probably are gonna kiss”
“Young love as its finest eh?”
“Mhm as long as they don’t make out so when someone checks in they don’t have to bleach their eyes” Bono mumbled knowing one time he saw Lewis and Nico Rosberg making out and he shuttered not wanting to remember it and it caused Sergi to chuckle at the action
“I wish I could have it like that though” Sergi confessed as him and Bono walked towards Bono’s desk to watch the race highlights
“Oh really?…” Bono questioned while opening up his computer “I get it I also wanna have a love life like theirs but geez they should tone it down a bit I remember I walked into something I didn’t want to see…”
Sergi smiled before watching the race highlights with Bono, it was an intimate scene to watch though they both were too oblivious until half way through the video Bono spoke up
“Do you think they’re kissing or confessing now?” Bono asked looked up at Sergi with eyes that he couldn’t read
“Well yea maybe-“ Sergi mumbled and thought about it until something caught him off guard.
“That could be us.” Bono stared at Sergi while he looked at Bono wide eyed, What. The. Fuck. Sergi stammered while losing all attention to the video and all attention was on Bono
“...sorry I shouldn’t spoke up ignore what I said sergi anyways did you see yuki’s car-“ Bono muttered before Sergi stared at him like he killed a puppy
“You can’t just drop a bomb mate-! You liked me? Since when? And don’t even assume that I don’t like you back cause I do.” Sergi pushed Bono to make him look at Sergi dead in the eye. Sergi sighed before saying “I love you so much and don’t try that ever again because why would you drop a bombshell on me and move on!”
Bono grinned even chuckled a bit before turning his chair around “so wanna go out together next race weekend? Just us this time and also be more subtle with your contacts I saw that heart love~” Bono teased the trainer who was now bright red like the Ferrari’s car
“oh my days… Bonnie, you're gonna give me a heart attack sooner or later…” Sergi grumbled a bit frustrated at him but not much anyways cause he loves him too much
“So are we official? Or are we pining with each other and gonna wait till we die eh?” Bono bluntly asked Sergi and Sergi just nodded while turning his focus away from Bono